Higher Faster

Higher. Faster. Higher. Faster.
Growing up, this was the mantra I repeated as I closed my eyes and pumped my legs on the swing.
When I opened my eyes I was always swinging higher and moving faster then I was before I closed my eyes.
This week I've been thinking about this phrase and personal development and it seems like there are three steps.
1) The words. I don't think saying "Higher. Faster." actually changed anything but it kept me focused and determined on what I wanted the end goal to be.
2) Pumping. Pumping my legs is what actually changed things.
3) Closed eyes. This made it more obvious when I did open my eyes to see how things had changed. Plus it helped me avoid distractions.
So how does that all relate to personal development? Here are a few ideas.
1) The words. Goals, except I don't really like goals. Perhaps it could represent choosing to work on something. Aligning my will to what I know I should do.
2) Pumping. The actual get-in-the-dirt, mind-numbing slogging of whatever it happens to be.
3) Closed eyes. Focus and reflection. It's easy to look back 10 years and say wow, I've grown a lot, but sometimes it's harder to look back 3 weeks and know that I've changed.... but maybe that's not the point, instead I should just look back 3 weeks and ask myself if I'm changing.

Its not a perfect analogy but perhaps it's at least an interesting way of seeing things.

Too bad I don't have any artsy pictures of kids on swings....